1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to golfing devices, and, more particularly, to putting practice devices provided with varying inclinations of putting surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For putting practice, where, because of lack of time or for other reasons, it is impractical to go to a golf course, it is highly desirable to have a miniature putting green which may be easily set up, as in the office or home. To obtain a putting surface which allows the ball to break, several devices have been created as typified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,436, issued to J. U. Leigh; U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,760, issued to F. D. Davis; U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,027 issued to L. G. Simjian, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,718 issued to the present inventor. Leigh utilizes a series of panels, hinged to a framework and a series of controls to control each panel. The required mechanism renders the device impractical. Davis provides a miniature golf game having, at one end, a support mounted on rollers and, requires a plurality of pre-shaped inserts to provide various putting surfaces. The Davis apparatus is not suitable for home or office play; is not portable; and contemplates use at a miniature golf course. Simjian utilizes lifting rods for changing the contour of the playing surface. The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,718 utilizes a rotatable disc with inclined plane to vary the inclination of an overlying mat but provides no side nor end restraint for the ball being putted and requires adhesive or the like for maintaining the mat in a fixed relationship with the underlying cup.